National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Louisiana State 82, Tennessee 80
When: 12:00 PM ET, Saturday, February 23, 2019
Where: Maravich Assembly Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Officials: # Olandis Poole, # Bart Lenox, # Anthony Jordan
Attendance: 13581

Ja'vonte Smart scored a season-high 29 points, including two free throws with one second remaining in overtime, as No. 13 LSU defeated visiting No. 5 Tennessee 82-80 on Saturday afternoon in Baton Rouge, La.

Smart had the most impressive game of his freshman season as the Tigers (22-5, 12-2) overcame the absence of guard Tremont Waters, their leading scorer and playmaker who was ill, to tie Tennessee (24-3, 12-2) for the SEC lead.

Kavell Bigby-Williams tied the score with a layup with five seconds remaining in overtime. Lamonte Turner missed a 3-pointer, Smart rebounded and Grant Williams fouled Smart in the backcourt, setting up the winning free throws.

Skylar Mays added 23 points and Bigby-Williams had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Tigers, who bounced back from an overtime loss to Florida on Wednesday to improve to 4-2 in overtime games. Naz Reid, LSU's second-leading scorer, played just four minutes in the first half because of foul trouble and finished with one point.

The score was tied three times in overtime before Reid made one of two free throws to give LSU the lead with 34 seconds left. Williams converted a three-point play with 18 seconds left, setting up the frenetic finish.

Tennessee led by nine with less than seven minutes left in the second half before LSU rallied. The Tigers took their first lead of the second half with less than a minute remaining, but Williams' layup with 34 seconds left forced overtime.

Tennessee led by five points at halftime and took its biggest lead at 41-32 less than three minutes into the second half.

LSU cut the deficit to five points on four occasions before Emmitt Williams' dunk reduced the margin to 53-51.

The Tigers got within two points again before Admiral Schofield made two 3-pointers and Kyle Alexander added one to extend the Vols' lead to 64-55.

Smart made a 3-pointer and another jumper to pull LSU within 64-62 with just under four minutes remaining.

He assisted on a 3-pointer by Mays that tied the score at 69 with 1:23 left.

Mays made two free throws to give the Tigers the lead, but Williams' layup tied the score with 33 seconds left.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
Tennessee   Louisiana State
Admiral Schofield 27 Scoring Ja'vonte Smart 29
Lamonte Turner 3 Assists Ja'vonte Smart 5
Admiral Schofield 9 Rebounds Kavell Bigby-Williams 10
Grant Williams 8 Free Throws Made Skylar Mays 10
Jordan Bone 3 Steals Ja'vonte Smart 3
Kyle Alexander 3 Blocks Skylar Mays 1
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Tennessee 80 44.8 8-22 12-16 10 41 3 4 14
Louisiana State 82 38.5 8-25 24-31 8 35 1 7 7